
🗓️ Release Date & Format
Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi is a forthcoming Indian Hindi-language biographical drama scheduled for theatrical release on 1 August 2025. The release is planned across India in at least three languages: Hindi, Marathi, and Telugu.
🎬 Creative Team
- Director: Ravindra Gautam, whose prior credits include hit TV shows and the film Ekkees Toppon Ki Salaami, brings serious storytelling pedigree to the biopic format.
- Producers: The film is produced by Ritu Mengi under her production house Samrat Cinematics.
- Writer(s): The screenplay is co-written by Dilip Bachchan Jha and Priyank Dubey, adapting The Monk Who Became Chief Minister by Shantanu Gupta into a cinematic script.
- Cinematography: Handled by Vishnu Rao, aiming to capture both the rugged beauty of the Himalayan foothills and the political arenas of Uttar Pradesh.
- Editing: Completed by Manan Sagar, tasked with weaving together a dual-timeline narrative spanning childhood, ascetic training, and political emergence.
- Music: Composed by Meet Bros, expected to feature devotional hymns, stirring background score, and songs inspired by regional folktronica to reflect spiritual and political gravity.
👥 Cast & Characters
- Anant Vijay Joshi (also referred to simply as Anant Joshi) portrays the central figure, Ajey Singh Bisht, later known as Yogi Adityanath. The actor is known for his breakthrough roles in TV series like Virgin Bhasskar and Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein, and recently in films like 12th Fail and Kathal.
- Paresh Rawal plays a key role as Mahant Avaidyanath, spiritual mentor and predecessor figure to the protagonist.
- Dinesh Lal Yadav (popularly known as ‘Nirahua’) appears in a supporting role aimed at mass appeal, though character specifics have not been widely discussed.
- The cast is further supported by actors including Ajay Mengi, Pavan Malhotra, Garima Vikrant Singh, Rajesh Khattar, Sarwar Ahuja, Bhagwan Tiwari, and Anil Jhamajham, each bringing diverse gravitas and character work to the ensemble.
📊 Quick Summary Table
Feature | Details |
Title | Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi |
Genre | Biographical drama (Hindi; also Marathi & Telugu) |
Director | Ravindra Gautam |
Producers | Ritu Mengi (Samrat Cinematics) |
Writers | Dilip Bachchan Jha, Priyank Dubey |
Based on | The Monk Who Became Chief Minister by Shantanu Gupta |
Cinematography | Vishnu Rao |
Editing | Manan Sagar |
Music | Meet Bros |
Lead Cast | Anant Vijay Joshi (Yogi), Paresh Rawal (Avaidyanath), Dinesh Lal Yadav |
Supporting Cast | Ajay Mengi, Pavan Malhotra, Garima Vikrant Singh, Rajesh Khattar, Sarwar Ahuja, etc. |
Filming | 2024–May 2025, Uttarakhand & UP |
Release Date | 1 August 2025 (worldwide theatrical) |
Budget | Not disclosed (estimated ₹50‒100 crore) |
OTT / Satellite Plans | Not yet announced |
Track Listings | TBD (songs not yet public) |
📘 Story & Synopsis
- Source Material: The film is inspired by Shantanu Gupta’s 2017 biography The Monk Who Became Chief Minister, which charts the spiritual and political life of Yogi Adityanath — born Ajey Bisht in Pauri, Uttarakhand, ascending from Nath sect monkhood to Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
- Plot Arc: Beginning with Ajey’s upbringing in the Himalayan foothills, the story explores his spiritual calling, intense ascetic discipline, mentorship under Mahant Avaidyanath, and eventual evolution into a political reformer — bold, resolute, and commanding the state’s highest office.
- The narrative is expected to juggle flashbacks of childhood and student life with present-day political milestones — from Gorakhpur Mutt leadership to electoral campaigns and administration during turbulent socio-political times.
📍 Production Timeline & Locations
- Development: After the book’s success in 2017, collaboration between author Shantanu Gupta and Priyank Dubey began the journey of adapting the narrative into a screenplay — with a heavy focus on authenticity and cultural context.
- Filming: Principal photography commenced in 2024, across locations in Uttarakhand (to evoke Ajey’s childhood foothills) and Uttar Pradesh, representing political and religious hubs.
- Completion & Post-production: The shoot wrapped up by May 2025, allowing the remainder of the spring and early summer for editing, scoring, sound design, and visual polishing — ahead of an August release.
💰 Budget & Financials
- As of today, there is no official disclosure regarding the film’s budget; Wikipedia and Bollywood trade outlets mark the budget as “TBA”.
- Based on the scale of production—period settings, large ensemble cast, multiple shooting locations—industry estimates suggest a mid‑to‑high-range budget, potentially in the ₹50 crore to ₹100 crore bracket, aligning with similar high‑profile biopics. This remains speculative until official statements emerge.
🎵 Music & Songs
- While composers Meet Bros are officially credited, no details on playback singers or song titles have been released yet as of late July 2025.
- Expect devotional and inspirational tracks—likely blending traditional North Indian folk elements, temple chants, and cinematic orchestration—to capture both the spiritual and emotional arcs of the protagonist.
🔔 Marketing & Publicity
- The first motion poster dropped on 26 March 2025, stirring social media speculation and political buzz, especially around Yogi Adityanath’s fan base drawing comparisons to future national leadership potential.
- A teaser trailer was released soon after, hinting at glimpses of rural landscapes, ashram life, devotional sequences, and rising political postures — culminating in the official announcement of the 1 August 2025 release date.
🎭 Why This Biopic Matters
- Political Relevance & Timing: Premiering around a key birthday of Yogi Adityanath and ahead of major electoral cycles, the film is positioned to tap into regional and national political consciousness.
- Spiritual Iconography Meets Governance: The narrative promises to explore the blend of Nath monastic discipline with pragmatic political leadership—a rare subject in mainstream cinema.
- Casting Depth: Paresh Rawal’s transformation into the austere mentor figure and Anant Joshi’s portrayal of dual phases (childhood/institution-builder) may offer strong emotional anchors.
- Cultural Authenticity: Filming in real locations across Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, combined with focus on dialect, rituals, and political realism, aims to ground the drama in lived authenticity.
🔍 Expectations & Potential Impact
- Critical Focus: Reviewers will closely examine whether the film leans into devotional hagiography or maintains a balanced, journalistic-biopic tone.
- Performance Highlights: Anant Joshi shoulders the lead role and must convincingly portray both the spiritual depth and political grit. Paresh Rawal’s portrayal of a saintly guru is also a key draw.
- Music & Emotional Drive: The soundtrack by Meet Bros is expected to underscore both the devotional scenes and turning points in character journey.
- Box Office Trajectory: Without prior box-office reads, success will depend on regional turnout (especially in UP and Uttarakhand), pre-release buzz, and word-of-mouth.
🎯 Final Thoughts
Being one of the first mainstream Hindi biopics about Yogi Adityanath, Ajey: The Untold Story of a Yogi carries both political weight and cinematic curiosity. Directed by Ravindra Gautam and backed by a committed creative team, it stakes out a narrative that is simultaneously spiritual, contentious, and symbolic of power transformation. With strong lead casting, location authenticity, and a release timed for maximum political resonance, the film is poised to be a talking point—not just for audiences, but for political and cultural analysts alike.
The ultimate verdict will hinge on narrative balance, box office performance (especially in UP and Uttarakhand), and critical reception. But if the early teasers and behind-the-scenes intentions reflect anything, Ajey aims to be more than a biopic—it aspires to portray a modern legend.